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Justin Hibbard continues our series on the 21 Ecumenical by examining the history between the Councils of Vienne and Constance. Why did the papacy move from Rome to Avignon? Who were the seven French Popes that make up the Avignon Papacy? And how did the return of the papacy to Rome lead to the Great Western Schism where three men claimed to be the rightful Pope? SOCIAL LINKS* Follow Why Catholic on Instagram.* Subscribe to Why Catholic on YouTube.* Follow Justin on Facebook.SOURCES:* The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History by Joseph Kelly* Nine Popes in Avignon* Catholic Answers: Was Avignon the Babylon of the West* Video: General Councils 11: The Council of Constance - Fr Timothy Matkin - St Francis Dallas* Unam Santam - Pope Boniface VIII* Video: The Palace of the Popes in AvignonPREVIOUS EPISODES IN THIS SERIES* Episode 146: Introduction to the 21 Ecumenical Councils* Episode 147: The World that Led to the Council of Nicaea* Episode 148: The First Council of Nicaea (325)* Episode 149: From Nicaea to Constantinople* Episode 150: The First Council of Constantinople (381)* Episode 151: The Council of Ephesus (431)* Episode 152: The Council of Chalcedon (451)* Episode 153: The Second Council of Constantinople (553)* Episode 154: War Among the Monotheists* Episode 155: The Third Council of Constantinople (680-681)* Episode 156: The Second Council of Nicaea (787)* Episode 157: Reflections on the First Seven Ecumenical Councils* Episode 158: The Fourth Council of Constantinople (869-870)* Episode 159: The Great Schism* Episode 160: The First Lateran Council (1123)* Episode 161: The Second Lateran Council (1139)* Episode 162: The Third Lateran Council (1179)* Episode 163: The Fourth Lateran Council (1215)* Episode 164: The First Council of Lyon (1245)* Episode 165: The Second Council of Lyon (1274)* Episode 166: The Council of Vienne (1311-1312) Get full access to Why Catholic? at whycatholic.substack.com/subscribe
[Slide 1] 2025 in Review 1.) [Slide 2] The challenges of 2025 a. Sickness i. Many sicknesses throughout the year are even still floating around. ii. Bouts of hand foot and mouth, the flu, fevers, sore throats, ear infections, and even some pesky allergies. iii. You need to be made of sterner stuff to live in MI I suppose. b. Physical issues i. Cancer battles are ongoing for some. ii. We had a couple broken bones iii. Weakness for some of our aging members iv. Back issues v. Sinus pressure vi. Tooth infections vii. Poison Ivy viii. Surgeries ix. Procedures x. And many doctor visits. c. Tragic Accidents i. We know of folks who have been involved in tragic accidents where people were injured. ii. Sometimes these accidents have changed people's lives forever. iii. Sometimes these accidents have stretched the limits of what it means to forgive and to love one another. d. Wars and Rumors of Wars i. The Russia Ukraine conflict continues ii. And the middle east of course. e. House hunting i. Many have moved to new locations and even new states and have been searching for somewhere to call their own. ii. Some have found homes for themselves – others are still looking diligently. f. Long trials i. Several have heard the word cancer uttered in their diagnosis this year. ii. Many have come through radiation or chemo or both. iii. Some among us took in family members who need constant care. iv. Kathy LaForest and her ongoing battle with cancer. v. Eric Beuaman's ongoing battle with congestive heart failure. vi. Joe and Sandy Henig moving into an assisted living facility and to be closer to family. vii. Jean Evans, with pancreatic cancer back and being put on hospice. viii. The Wingate family in general has endured quite a lot. With aging sisters and saying goodbye to nephews. g. Deaths of family and friends. i. Pat Dunsmore – Tania's father, after a long battle with COPD, went home to be with the Lord. ii. Rick Ellis – Pat and Lyle's Nephew, after yet another cancer battle, also passed on in peace. iii. Terri – Jean Evans' late husband Carl's daughter – promoted to glory after a short battle with cancer. iv. John MacArthur – a highly respected preacher and teacher of the Word passed away this year. h. Some Elders' jobs i. Both CJ and Jerry have experienced work instability this year. ii. CJ is still looking for a job. Jerry had to say goodbye to some work relationships because he was changing jobs. i. Spiritual battles i. We have had some fairly large spiritual issues arise in the church this year. ii. We have had several disputes between neighbors and spouses. iii. We have seen the deceitfulness of sin draw away one of our members. iv. We have also seen others leave in dereliction of their membership covenant obligations. 2.) [Slide 3] The blessings of 2025 a. Weather i. Much closer to normal weather this year. ii. We didn't have 1 single hurricane make landfall in the US. Which is somewhat astounding. iii. Although we didn't have a white Christmas this year we have already had a couple snow storms and even had the snow stick around for quite a while. b. Numerical blessings i. Baby Jaspir Bogen ii. Baby Everett Wegner iii. Baby Leah McCue iv. Baby Loretta McCue is coming in a few short weeks. c. My Fellow American i. Chris Steary passed his test to become a US citizen this year. ii. Congrats to him. d. Audio Visual Upgrades i. We were able to upgrade our computer, projector, and soundboard for our worship services. ii. This was already in the works, and providentially the Lord saw to it that it became abundantly obvious that it was necessary after we experienced some significant technical difficulties during the service. iii. We even had to go old school with an overhead projector one week. e. Missionary blessings i. We had Eric and Cherie Daum with us at the beginning of this year for a couple months. 1. They have since gone back to Asia Pacific, purchased land, built a house, and have moved in. 2. They are still learning the local language and getting ready for a language check very soon. 3. Of course, Bernie and Sue are going back to help for an entire month. ii. We had the Lundquist's join us this year for two weeks including our Lord's Supper catered meal. iii. We also were able to help send Lucy to Senegal - which we heard about this morning. What an amazing ministry. iv. Jordan and Emily experienced heartache this year when Emilly was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After two surgeries it appears they have gotten all of the cancer out. They will test again in a few months. The blessing here is that we have had the opportunity to provide a home for them to live in as they struggle through this time. Praise the Lord. f. Spiritual Blessings i. 4 new professions of faith this year 1. Carrigan Golab 2. Sabreana Porter 3. Waylon McLeod 4. Amanda Jansen ii. 4 baptisms this year iii. 3 New Members were added iv. We began a new Jr. Church format this year, breaking into 3 groups instead of just two. Overall, the teachers have done an amazing job and it seems as though the kids are learning a good deal. v. We began a study bible distribution project last year with a goal of insuring that every father in the church had a LSB John MacArthur study bible. We are happy to announce that only 4 of those bibles remain and most of you are benefitting from one of them. vi. As a church we have also had the opportunity to be a blessing to other organizations. 1. Classical Conversations has entered its 7th year in using our church for its campus. 2. Michigan Karate for Christ began using our building at the beginning of this year to train its students in Kenpo Karate 3. The 4h Club Rustic Ramblers began using our building this year for its meetings as well. 4. We also had two non-member weddings. 5. These have all given us opportunities to be a light to our community. g. We as a church have received the blessing of teaching – LOTS of teaching praise the Lord! i. Basics class continued this year 1. First with the financial peace university, moderated by the Stearys. 2. Then with the Basics for the Christian life study led by both Nick Galante and myself. ii. Thursday Night Prayer Group 1. We meet at 6pm via the TEAMS app. 2. Most nights we pray over our congregation and our many needs and then discuss the sermon from the previous Sunday. iii. Youth Community. 1. We have been plodding along with Youth Community this year. 2. The families who attend find great benefit to the concentrated doses of spiritual truths our children are memorizing in the Baptist Catechism and comradery around other parents struggling to teach key doctrinal truths to their kids. iv. Foundations 1. We actually made quite a good deal of progress this past year in foundations. 2. We took what was originally a 4 year goal to study the entire bible and have crammed that into a 10 year (and counting) chronological study of the scriptures. 3. We have made it to King Josiah. 4. Still this year we have finished Isaiah, began Jeremiah, almost completed 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles and will finish up Nahum in the next few weeks. v. Preaching 1. We finally finished the book of Acts this year. 2. It only took us 2 and a half years and 100 sermons – but we made it. 3. We began our study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, of which we've made it to almost chapter 3. 4. I also preached a Puritan sermon for Thanksgiving from Thomas Manton. vi. BSF 1. Although not affiliated with our church directly, Bible Study Fellowship has a long history of being a great way for people to gather and study the bible together. 2. Many of our church members are either leading or participating in BSF this year in their study of Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, and Esther. vii. There were several more bible studies and gatherings – most of which are a couple or few people who gather regularly to study the scriptures. h. Church finances held i. Even though we had a slight decrease in giving – we still met budget by spending less than we brought in. ii. This is in addition to doing some minor repairs to the parking lot and replacing much of our audio-visual equipment. i. Elders have been challenged this year i. I put this in the blessing category because it is indeed a blessing to see the Lord work through the plurality of qualified leaders He has given you for this church. ii. We have wrestled with questions this year, that we did not expect. iii. We have been baffled, confused, grieved, overjoyed, and frustrated. iv. We have wept together, tears of grief and tears of joy. v. We have laughed together. vi. We have even begun laying plans for developing future Elders. vii. Although no one ever said being an Elder would be easy – this year it was abundantly clear. viii. Pray for your Elders. I would guess that about 75% of our job is held in confidence and is never presented in any way to any of you. ix. Give your Elders the benefit of the doubt too. Should they say or do something that seems egregious… it probably has another explanation. If someone comes to you suggesting that the Elders are doing something crazy – perhaps you should either dismiss what they said or call an Elder up and get it straight from them. x. This year especially – let me remind you – we have labored for your souls. xi. Even if it seems like we don't get much done… know that you only see about 25% of what is happening around here. xii. Remember… we could always go slower.
Episode 369 of RevolutionZ has Miguel Guevara questioning Lydia Lawrence about her journey from the Sixties to RPS. After anger and solidarity fuel a movement's start what decides whether it survives? Lydia Lawrence—feminist, organizer, media worker, and the first shadow government president of RPS—tells of her journey from sixties militancy, through doldrums, to sustained revolutionary engagement. Her recounting begins with a poem-like charge sheet against injustice, but quickly pivots to the practices that kept early RPS victories from unspooling. Treat oppression as a web, not a queue; change roles, not just leaders; speak plainly, share skills, and build structures that match our values.Miguel elicits from Lydia a revelatory mid-west factory story. Workers seized their plant. Councils rose and wages leveled. Spirit soared. Yet before too long passed, hierarchy crept back. Spirits crashed. The culprit wasn't human nature. It was an unbroken corporate division of labor. A small group accumulated knowledge, access and confidence from newly doing empowering tasks while most returned to repetitive, debilitating tasks. Voice, influence and then even income stratified as much much of the old order reassembled itself. Out with the old boss, the owner. In with a new boss who Lydia calls Coordinators. Lydia lays out how class, race, gender, and polity entangle across home, school, workplace, media, and law—and why single-issue wins erode when unaltered institutions push back. She describes the cultural suicide of “ghosting” in movements and the coordinator class habit of hiding power behind jargon. Solidarity requires attention, not performance.The discussion moves from Sander's valuable sparks and Trump's odious fear to the necessity of building bridges without diluting justice for women, Black and Brown communities, LGBTQ+ people, and working-class men alike. Since oppression is an entangled network, strategy must be systemic. Lydia discusses her conversion to emphasizing balanced roles, open information, participatory decision-making, and a language everyone can own. Do Lydia's reports of her path to joining sustained, effective revolutionary activism resonate with you? Are the lessons she reveals relevant to our times and circumstances? Concluding this episode's presentation of the sixteenth chapter from The Wind Cries Freedom, is a closing meditation on fiction as oral history—stories that test ideas and invite you to refine them. Is it worth sharing with a friend?Support the show
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is merging and abolishing councils that its predecessors set up within the Cabinet Secretariat and the Cabinet Office one after another.
It might be the festive season, but there's fury in the corridors of power following a row which broke out regarding proposals that would see local elections delayed for a second year in a row for millions of voters. It comes as the government plans to abolish the two-tier system of district and county councils, creating a swathe of new local authorities that will be responsible for delivering services in their areas from 2028. In total, ministers have written to a total of 63 councils scheduled to hold elections in May 2026, although we won't know for sure if they're postponed until January.The Standard's Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford is here with the latest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Visionary Activist Show 12.18.25 2pm KPFA/ 12.19.25 run wee hours & 1 pm KPFK Dark O Moon Dark o Year Radio Winter Solstice Delving Diving Deep into the Dark To Liberate our Mad Whimsy, skookum for now! astro* animist, weaver of context Caroline W Casey once again welcomes Sean Padraig O'Donoghue, long-time bardic Flora Fauna Fungi ally, With a smidge of Revels & John Fugelsang, whose book be KPFA pledge incentive “Separation of Church and Hate” That we all craft fresh expressions for ancient guiding, never more needed…. (Saturn-Neptune Pisces to Aries conjunction…February 20th) So that by mid-Winter – When Uranus, Liberating Trickster Genius – stations direct- at exact mid-Winter so we be Rising Aroused in Apocalyptic Times… CoyoteNetworkNews.com · Events, Councils, & More Visionary Activist on Patreon The post The Visionary Activist Show – Dark O Moon Dark o Year Radio appeared first on KPFA.
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard: the latest on the Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea cyber incident, a quantum year-end update from Imperial and the London Quantum Cluster, and UKRI's shift toward growth funding — including video games. Plus, Revolut's new UK mobile service, Alexa+ arriving on the web, and a couple of practical gaming and headset updates Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv We must prepare for war with Russia, says Nato chief in stark new warning Flu in four charts how this years winter outbreak is different From Iran to China to Venezuela how seized tanker hid location Super flu wave hits hospitals in England with no peak yet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 winners revealed Catherine Zeta Jones backlash after age shaming comments Huge undersea wall dating from 5000 BC found in France Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel Ukraine has sent peace proposal to the US, Merz says Councils given 3bn to create thousands more spaces for Send pupils
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Ukraine has sent peace proposal to the US, Merz says Flu in four charts how this years winter outbreak is different Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel We must prepare for war with Russia, says Nato chief in stark new warning From Iran to China to Venezuela how seized tanker hid location Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 winners revealed Super flu wave hits hospitals in England with no peak yet Catherine Zeta Jones backlash after age shaming comments Councils given 3bn to create thousands more spaces for Send pupils Huge undersea wall dating from 5000 BC found in France
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv We must prepare for war with Russia, says Nato chief in stark new warning Ukraine has sent peace proposal to the US, Merz says Councils given 3bn to create thousands more spaces for Send pupils Catherine Zeta Jones backlash after age shaming comments Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 winners revealed From Iran to China to Venezuela how seized tanker hid location Flu in four charts how this years winter outbreak is different Huge undersea wall dating from 5000 BC found in France Super flu wave hits hospitals in England with no peak yet
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel We must prepare for war with Russia, says Nato chief in stark new warning Councils given 3bn to create thousands more spaces for Send pupils Catherine Zeta Jones backlash after age shaming comments From Iran to China to Venezuela how seized tanker hid location Huge undersea wall dating from 5000 BC found in France Super flu wave hits hospitals in England with no peak yet Flu in four charts how this years winter outbreak is different Ukraine has sent peace proposal to the US, Merz says Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 winners revealed
The water service delivery plans have been submitted by local councils and evaluated, and the total is set to hit over $47 billion. Councils handed over these proposals as part of the Government's Local Water Done Well scheme and the Local Government Minister is hopeful these plans will go on to benefit ratepayers. Minister Simon Watts says these proposals have all been signed off and things are in a good place to get going. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this illuminating episode, Therese channels a powerful transmission from the Golden Circle Council of Sirius (joined by the Arcturian Council of Light) under the transformative energies of the Gemini super full moon and the Great Attractor. The Councils invite us to embrace the alchemy of love and power—reminding us that true strength flows from embodied source energy, wisdom, and compassion. Through guidance on releasing old stories of suffering and consciously resetting the boundaries in your life, you'll discover how to step into your sovereignty and realign with your highest timeline. Therese discusses the importance of reclaiming your personal power and balancing it within the body, encouraging listeners to drop the fear and fully accept their role as powerful creator beings. The episode closes with inspiration for integrating these cosmic shifts in practical ways, such as gratitude practices and conscious choices, to activate your inner light during times of great change. This is your invitation to transform, up-level, and claim your unique frequency. ✨ Deepen your journey with Therese:
A developer in Auckland is backing the Government taking control of what new housing pays for local infrastructure.
The government is telling councils to 'live within their means' and is introducing a rates cap. It's popular with ratepayers who have seen their bills skyrocket, but councils are warning it'll come at a cost of services. Coming hot on the heels of the government's move to abolish regional councils, political reporter Giles Dexter examines what councils and ratepayers may have to learn to live with.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In CI News this week: A leaked document reveals Labour's support for legalising assisted suicide through a Private Member's Bill, Girlguiding ditches its pro-transgender policy for new members, and London councils call for a ban on gambling ads on the Tube. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Labour suggested backing assisted suicide Bill pre-election Girlguiding ditches trans-inclusive policy for new members The Women's Institute to restrict membership to women Councils call on TfL to ban gambling ads on the Tube Stormont backs baby loss certificate scheme
Tom Elliott has highlighted two examples of councils with "very different points of view" this morning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Rotten Boroughs correspondent Saba Salman joins Adam, Helen and Andy to discuss the Reform Party, Your Party, the Democratic Party and Part 94 of who's going to own the Telegraph.
A recent survey by the Key Cities group found that 60% of their member councils - which include places like Bath, Hull and Medway in Kent - were planning on selling off things like shopping arcades and social clubs to pay for the rising costs of social care.Host: Ada BarumeWriter: Becky Pinnington and Poppy BullardProducer: Madeleine ParrEpisode photography: Joe MeeExecutive producer: Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Councils are once again being told to start living within their means and focus on the basics, with the government releasing details of its long-awaited rates cap. Instead of a fixed cap, the government has opted to go with a target band between two and four percent, to be enforced by a regulator. Councils can appeal to go higher, but the government's already warning that would only be for the most exceptional of circumstances. Political reporter Giles Dexter spoke to Lisa Owen.
There's an expectation a rates cap will prove challenging and require teaming up with central Government. The Government's proposing to stop rates increases at 4% a year, excluding water and other non-rates revenue. Councils wanting to go beyond this will need approval from a government-appointed regulator. Nelson Mayor Nick Smith told Mike Hosking he's not surprised councils have been targeted by the Government as it aims to reduce costs across the board. But he says delivery will require the Government to work with them to get costs down, especially in the construction sector. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government has announced the details on its plan for rates caps - councils will be capped at 4%.They will not be able to raise their rates by more than 4%, and the plan will start being implemented in a couple of years' time, sort of mid 27, and then will be fully in place by mid 2029.There will be exemptions to the rate cap. The high growth councils will be exempt from the cap. Councils that experience a natural disaster, something like bad weather, a quake, whatever, they will be exempt. Councils that need to catch up on infrastructure underinvestment, which I thought would have been most councils, they will be exempt.They will have to apply. The exempt will not be automatic. They will have to apply for an exemption, but those are the grounds they can apply on, which I think sounds like potentially a lot of councils who will be able to get around the 4% cap.Now, on the politics of it, it is incredibly smart to announce this - it is incredibly popular. One poll found that about 75% of people want to see this happen, and I really want this to work.I really want this to force councils to sharpen their pencils and start cutting out the nice to haves like the disco toilets and the bus stops with the gardens spouting from the top. And I want them to be able to be going through their staff list and maybe discover like Wellington has in the last week, about 330 people who probably don't need to be paid for by the ratepayer.And this will definitely, I think, do that. It will force a bit of discipline.But what does worry me is that this isn't dealing with the actual problem that we've got in local government, which is that we have a bunch of numpties sitting around the council tables making bad financial decisions.After this, we will still have numpties sitting around the council table, and those numpties will still make bad financial decisions.And if there's one thing that we've learned from recent experience with Wellington City Council, it's that when numpties cut spending, They cut spending on important things like pipes and for some weird reason they keep on spending on the dumb stuff like disco toilets, and I worry that that will happen around the country and we will simply end up with another crisis like we're having at the moment of deferred maintenance.Having said that, It is obviously a much better situation if the numpties have less money to waste rather than more money to waste.So on balance, the rates cap is probably an improvement on the status quo, isn't it?Even if only for the certainty it gives the rest of us that our rates bill next year will not force us out of our homes.In that respect, this has got to be good news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs. The ‘shake-up' of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics. As well as this, Parliament's Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.
Delving into the most significant changes to regional councils in decades.
The Government recently unveiled their plans to make changes to local Government, and it's prompted additional speculation. It's proposing replacing the country's 11 regional councils with boards made up of local mayors. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan speculated about some further changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Regional councils as you know them could be for the chop under a radical plan unveiled by the government. Under the proposal 11 regional councils would be axed, and replaced with new combined territories boards; made up of mayors from the regions cities and district councils. Mayors will work together to govern the regions. It's the biggest shake up in local government in more than three and half decades. Minister for Local Government Simon Watts spoke to Lisa Owen.
Under the mystical energy of the New Moon in Scorpio, Therese channels a profound message from the Golden Circle Council of Sirius and the Arcturian Council of Light on the sacred power of inner purification.This transmission invites you to release the stories of suffering that no longer serve your evolution and to allow your mind to be cleansed of fear, doubt, and distortion. The Councils remind us that our true power lies not in control—but in surrendering to the divine current that flows through us, as conduits of higher love and light.Therese also leads a guided meditation and prayer for universal love, activating deeper compassion, presence, and remembrance of unity consciousness.
The Government's plan to scrap regional councils and hand responsibilities over to mayor-led combined territories boards marks the biggest structural shift in local government in decades. Doug Leeder, Former Chairperson of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
The days of regional councils could soon be over. It's understood the Government will announce a proposal for a local government shake-up later this afternoon. It comes after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hinted on Sunday that a major reform is coming. Earlier this year, regional development minister and New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones told a forum there was "less and less of a justifiable purpose" for keeping regional government once the RMA reforms went through. Which got us thinking about regional councils and their purpose... To help explain that and what today's announcement could be, political reporter Russell Palmer joins me.
Today on Politics Wednesday Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen delve into the proposal to scrap regional councils, replacing them with boards made up of local Mayors. They also cover off Labour's seat selections, with MP Greg O'Connor missing out on the selection for a new seat, and former Labour MP Michael Wood's move to re-enter politics. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says regional councils add layers of confusion, as he looks to scrap them. Consultation's open on the proposal which would see the councils abolished and replaced with boards made up of local Mayors. Boards would be required to put plans in place around re-organising services and infrastructure, which will be checked over and ticked off for financial sustainability. Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking there's enormous levels of complexity which people don't understand. He says in Wellington for example, the regional council runs the buses, but the city councils decide the road closures and where the bus stops are. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government's proposing to abolish regional councils, and replace them with boards made up of mayors from the region's city and district councils. The proposals would deliver the most significant reforms to local Government since 1989. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says more details will be revealed later down the line. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government has announced this afternoon that it is scrapping regional councils - and I reckon you need to put this on your list of some of the best news that you have heard in a long time for turning this country around. Regional councils have got to go. It's not so much the elected councillors, right? I mean, obviously they have to go as well. But we simply don't need that layer of bureaucracy with regional councils, when we already have city and district councils and we already have central Government. It's just far too much. But scrapping the elected guys, that's only gonna save us a little bit of money. We're talking peanuts here. The real money is going to be saved in the stuff that happens in the back office at the regional councils, the stuff that's done by the unelected officials and the consultants that they bring in. And when I'm what I'm talking about here is the plans. Now let me tell you about the plans - you probably don't realize it because this stuff is so boring it will put you to sleep - but regional councils around this country are blowing tens of millions of dollars and wasting years upon years on planning new rules. The Waikato Regional Council's Healthy Rivers Plan Change 1, let's just call it PC1 for short - PC1 at last count has cost $23 million. That was about 3 years ago. The plan is not even fully implemented yet, so you can add to that $23 million. Now, that is just the plan for the rivers in the Waikato. It's not the plan for rivers anywhere else in the country, it's for nothing else in the Waikato, just the rivers in Waikato - and it's already cost $23 million. Bear in mind every single region, and there are 11 of them, makes its own plans. So you could take that $23 million and just add to it. Around this country, we're just racking up the millions. This stuff, as I said, takes years. The Waikato river plan, PC1, that was notified in 2016. A decade on, it's still not in full operation because of appeals and all kinds of wrangles around it. And this is where huge amounts of the rates that you pay are wasted, right? So scrapping the regional councils is potentially a massive, massive saving for us. The question is - what do the Nats replace it with? If they then replace the regional councils with a system where maybe we have just one set of rules or four sets of rules or ten sets of rules that regions can choose from, pre-written rules that they can roll out that they don't have to plan themselves rather than designing their own, that may in fact be a better system. Now the devil is in the details, but so far this has the potential to be some of the best news for this country. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do Baptists believe in councilor authority?
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aLohje7p/checkoutThis is part three of our three-part series on the seven ecumenical councils, focusing on the philosophical commitments embedded in the final five councils from Ephesus to Nicaea II. We examine the Nestorian controversy and Cyril of Alexandria's defense of moderate realism, the doctrine of complex natures, and the distinction between common faculties and idiosyncratic use in the monothelite debate. The episode concludes with the monoenergist controversy's codification of the essence-energies distinction and the ontology of image and archetype in iconography.All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs00:00:00 - Intro00:05:36 Dogma vs. Kerygma: Basil's Distinction 00:10:26 The Council of Ephesus: Nestorius vs. Cyril 00:14:56 Moderate Realism and Complex Natures00:23:18 Nestorius's Metaphysical Error00:30:14 Why Mary Is Theotokos00:45:02 The Monophysite Controversy After Ephesus00:49:19 The Council of Chalcedon 00:57:00 Common Nature, Idiosyncratic Use01:02:00 The Theandric Operations: John of Damascus's Analogy01:07:56 The Essence-Energies Distinction in the Councils 01:13:34 Against Calling It "Palamite" 01:19:09 Nicaea II and the Ontology of Images Other words for the algorithm… ecumenical councils, Christology, Chalcedon, Council of Ephesus, Nestorius, Cyril of Alexandria, moderate realism, complex natures, theotokos, patristics, church fathers, early Christian philosophy, Byzantine theology, Eastern Orthodox, Orthodox theology, hupóstasis, essence-energies distinction, Gregory Palamas, Cappadocian fathers, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, John of Damascus, Maximus the Confessor, monothelite controversy, monoenergist controversy, monophysitism, Apollinarianism, hypostatic union, two natures one person, divine energies, theosis, deification, incarnation, Nicene Creed, Constantinople, Council of Chalcedon, hyalomorphism, Aristotle, Plato, realism, nominalism, universals, particular, form and matter, substance, accidents, common nature, Christian metaphysics, patristic theology, systematic theology, philosophical theology, philosophy of religion, Christian philosophy, Thomas Aquinas, scholasticism, medieval philosophy, ancient philosophy, Neoplatonism, divine simplicity, divine freedom, anthropology, theological anthropology, imago dei, image of God, iconography, Nicaea II, body and soul, will, free will, monothelitism, Apollinaris, Athanasius, homoousios, consubstantial, Trinity, divine nature, human nature, rational soul, theandric operations, dogma, kerygma, divine liturgy, anti-Chalcedonian, Council of Constantinople, moderate realist, extreme realism, archetypal ideas, common will, idiosyncratic use, Philippians 2, morphe, kenosis, inflamed blade analogy, David Bradshaw, essence and energies, Aristotle East and West, Gregory of Nazianzus, Chrysostom, ontology, metaphysics, formal properties, genera and species, specific difference
The Education Brief: Wednesday 19 November 2025 - Top stories include:Teacher wellbeing has hit a new low, according to Education Support's latest Wellbeing Index.The government's new AI-generated attendance reports have been pulled just days after launch.The DfE have named 36 new attendance and behaviour hub lead schools.Councils say the high-needs funding system is on the brink of “total collapse”, while some primaries now have six times as many pupils with EHCPs as others.Teachers and leaders say extra enrichment is impossible.HEP Updates:Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/ https://register-national-professional-qualifications.education.gov.uk/https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2026-neurodiversity-in-the-classroom-tickets-1758147629889https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/How-to-use-Multimedia-in-the-Classroom-A-design-guide-based-on-evidence-.pdfWatching - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2025/oct/21/why-the-manosphere-clicked-for-young-men-a-visual-deep-diveListening - https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/podcastsReading - https://demos.co.uk/research/inside-the-mind-of-a-16-year-old-from-andrew-tate-to-bonnie-blue-to-nigel-farage-what-do-first-time-voters-think-about-social-media-politics-the-state-of-britain-and-their-futures/AI Tool - https://www.thinglink.com/Music by Slo Pony
“Do Some Orthodox Traditions Allow for Multiple Marriages?” This episode explores the nuances of Catholic and Orthodox relations, addressing questions like which Church Fathers and Councils support the Papacy, the historical split between the two churches, and how to respond to those drawn to Orthodoxy. Tune in for a thoughtful examination of these important topics. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:55 – What Fathers and Councils should I read that support the Papacy? 11:26 – Who led the parting of the Orthodox church with the Catholic church? What was the key disagreement? 16:15 – How can I respond to someone who feels that they are being led from Catholicism into Orthodoxy? 30:00 – Do some Orthodox traditions allow for more than one marriage? 40:40 – Are we allowed to take communion if a Catholic attends an Eastern Orthodox Church? 42:41 – Does it affect our Salvation if we don't believe in a Catholic church teaching? 52:22 – What is the difference or similarity between Eastern Orthodox or Catholics disagree with their leaders’ teachings?
The teaching of St Gregory is so fundamental to Orthodoxy that he is especially commemorated each year in Great Lent on the Sunday following the Sunday of Orthodoxy (as well as on Nov. 14); Bishop Kallistos observes in the English edition of the Philokalia, "his successful defence of the divine and uncreated character of the light of Tabor...[is] seen as a direct continuation of the preceding celebration, as nothing less than a renewed Triumph of Orthodoxy." The son of a prominent family, St Gregory was born (1296) and raised in Constantinople. At about age twenty, he abandoned a promising secular career to become a monk on Mt Athos. (His family joined him en masse: two of his brothers went with him to the Holy Mountain; at the same time his widowed mother, two of his sisters, and many of the household servants also entered monastic life.) He spent the next twenty years living as a hermit, spending five days a week in complete solitude, then joining the brethren on weekends for the Divine Liturgy and its accompanying services. Around 1335 he was called to live a much more public life in defense of the faith and spirituality of the Church. A Greek living in Italy, Barlaam the Calabrian, had launched an attack on the hesychastic spirituality of the Church. Fundamentally, Barlaam denied that man can attain to a true vision of God Himself, or true union with Him, in this life. Gregory, recognizing in this an attack on the Christian faith itself, responded. He even left the Holy Mountain and re-settled in Constantinople so as better to wage the struggle, which had become so public that a Church Council was called to settle the issue. St Gregory's views were affirmed, and Barlaam's condemned, at the Council of Constantinople of 1341. Though Barlaam himself returned to Italy, a series of his followers continued the attack, eventually resulting in two more Councils in 1347 and 1351, both of which affirmed the hesychasts' position. Metropolitan Hierotheos (The Mind of the Orthodox Church) writes that these councils have "all the marks of an Ecumenical Council." This, along with the fact that St Gregory's views are affirmed in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy (appointed to be read in churches every Sunday of Orthodoxy), and his commemoration every second Sunday of Great Lent, makes clear that his teaching is a basic and indispensable part of the Orthodox Faith. In 1347 St Gregory was consecrated Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, where he served until his repose. (He spent a year of this period as the prisoner of Turkish pirates). Despite (or due to?) his austere monastic background, he was revered by his flock: immediately after his repose in 1359, popular veneration of him sprang up in Thessaloniki, Constantinople and Mt Athos and, in 1368, only nine years after his death, the Church officially glorified him as a saint. St Gregory was always clear that unceasing mental prayer is not a special calling of monastics, but is possible and desirable for every Christian in every walk of life. See his On the Necessity of Constant Prayer for all Christians, reproduced on this site.
The teaching of St Gregory is so fundamental to Orthodoxy that he is especially commemorated each year in Great Lent on the Sunday following the Sunday of Orthodoxy (as well as on Nov. 14); Bishop Kallistos observes in the English edition of the Philokalia, "his successful defence of the divine and uncreated character of the light of Tabor...[is] seen as a direct continuation of the preceding celebration, as nothing less than a renewed Triumph of Orthodoxy." The son of a prominent family, St Gregory was born (1296) and raised in Constantinople. At about age twenty, he abandoned a promising secular career to become a monk on Mt Athos. (His family joined him en masse: two of his brothers went with him to the Holy Mountain; at the same time his widowed mother, two of his sisters, and many of the household servants also entered monastic life.) He spent the next twenty years living as a hermit, spending five days a week in complete solitude, then joining the brethren on weekends for the Divine Liturgy and its accompanying services. Around 1335 he was called to live a much more public life in defense of the faith and spirituality of the Church. A Greek living in Italy, Barlaam the Calabrian, had launched an attack on the hesychastic spirituality of the Church. Fundamentally, Barlaam denied that man can attain to a true vision of God Himself, or true union with Him, in this life. Gregory, recognizing in this an attack on the Christian faith itself, responded. He even left the Holy Mountain and re-settled in Constantinople so as better to wage the struggle, which had become so public that a Church Council was called to settle the issue. St Gregory's views were affirmed, and Barlaam's condemned, at the Council of Constantinople of 1341. Though Barlaam himself returned to Italy, a series of his followers continued the attack, eventually resulting in two more Councils in 1347 and 1351, both of which affirmed the hesychasts' position. Metropolitan Hierotheos (The Mind of the Orthodox Church) writes that these councils have "all the marks of an Ecumenical Council." This, along with the fact that St Gregory's views are affirmed in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy (appointed to be read in churches every Sunday of Orthodoxy), and his commemoration every second Sunday of Great Lent, makes clear that his teaching is a basic and indispensable part of the Orthodox Faith. In 1347 St Gregory was consecrated Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, where he served until his repose. (He spent a year of this period as the prisoner of Turkish pirates). Despite (or due to?) his austere monastic background, he was revered by his flock: immediately after his repose in 1359, popular veneration of him sprang up in Thessaloniki, Constantinople and Mt Athos and, in 1368, only nine years after his death, the Church officially glorified him as a saint. St Gregory was always clear that unceasing mental prayer is not a special calling of monastics, but is possible and desirable for every Christian in every walk of life. See his On the Necessity of Constant Prayer for all Christians, reproduced on this site.
Natasha is joined by Dr. Lisa Diamond and Dr. Scout on this episode of the Natasha Helfer Podcast. This is a powerful episode as, in Lisa's words: "Scout and I have witnessed the entire birth and now destruction of the field of queer and trans mental and physical health (Scout is 60, I'm 54), so we have lived through this whole weird arc of seeing lgbtq health become a legitimate profession, and now it's being threatened—it's both personally and professionally devastating for both of us to witness this happening. "It is astounding that at a time when we recently survived a global pandemic that left so many people feeling isolated in ways that has profoundly affected our mental and physical health… and at a time when we have very clear data on the risk of suicide and lessened wellbeing for the LGBTQI+ community due to societal discrimination… that the government is choosing to dismantle and destroy so many departments/entities meant to support the health, science and data collection of ALL Americans." Dr. Diamond and Dr. Scout have created a survey for anyone affected by the current administration. Please consider filling it out. "We launched the study with zero funding, it's driven by pure love and panic, and it's affecting EVERYONE who loves or works with queer or trans people, including family members, friends, social workers, physicians, school, teachers, therapist, educators, EVERYONE. All of us are going through something, and we are going through this at the same time that the federal government has CEASED all data collection on our health. So Scout and I figured "OK, you don't wanna do this? We're just gonna have to do it ourselves." Go here to fill out the survey: https://csbsutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9WyKRPONJuL67Yy?fbclid=IwY2xjawOEdthleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoOW43aDJMdnNGb1kwSThZc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkWvMqhUx7OYFY_0kbvt2yVu911j1Ch5DAnsBloLDDgUw1CHSZ3BRNwBhq3A_aem_2e27bX8Xk_kP7utbPv482g Also, if you're an organization that would like to partner with this project reach out to: research@cancer-network.com From Natasha: I loved Lisa's reminder that we survive oppression and destruction through connection. This is a small thing we can do to make a difference and that in of itself is healing and empowering. Please take the 20-25 minutes to fill out this survey. And please forward it to anyone you know who is impacted. Scout, PhD (they/he) is the Executive Director of the National LGBTQI+ Cancer Network and the principal investigator of both the CDC-funded LGBTQI+ tobacco-related cancer disparity network and Out: The National Cancer Survey. They spend much of their time providing technical assistance for tobacco and cancer focusing agencies expanding their reach and engagement with LGBTQI+ populations. Scout has a long history in health policy analysis and a particular interest in ensuring research and surveillance activities include LGBTQI+ people. They have faculty appointments at Dartmouth Cancer Center and Boston University's school of public health. They are a member of FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, on the Advisory Panel for NIH's All of Us initiative, and a former member of NIH Council of Councils as well as former Co-Chair of the NIH Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office Work Group. Their work has won them recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, two state governments, and many city governments. Scout is an openly nonbinary and trans father of three, an avid hiker, and is currently training for the aptly named Dopey Challenge races at Disney. Lisa M. Diamond, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies at the University of Utah and a past president of the International Academy for Sex Research. For nearly 30 years, she has studied gender and sexuality across the lifespan, with current work centered on social safety and its impact on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. Dr. Diamond is internationally recognized for her pioneering research on sexual fluidity, including her award-winning book Sexual Fluidity (Harvard University Press). She co-edited the first APA Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology, is a fellow of two APA divisions, and has published over 150 scholarly works. Her research has been supported by major national foundations, and she has delivered more than 200 invited talks worldwide, including a TED Talk with over 700,000 views. — Join Natasha February 11-17th 2026 on a cruise leaving out of Tampa, Florida. You can grab a package and work with Natasha on the ship. Sign up before January 1st and you get the early bird special: Natasha packages: $750 per couple $675 per couple - early bird (before January 1st) Payment plans are available. For further questions, email Mimi at unleashedvacations@gmail.com. Book now to make sure you don't miss out! See you on board. — To help keep this podcast going, please consider donating at natashahelfer.com and share this episode. To watch the video of this podcast, you can subscribe to Natasha's channel on Youtube and follow her professional Facebook page at natashahelfer LCMFT, CST-S. You can find all her cool resources at natashahelfer.com. The information shared on this program is informational and should not be considered therapy. This podcast addresses many topics around mental health and sexuality and may not be suitable for minors. Some topics may elicit a trigger or emotional response so please care for yourself accordingly. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or feelings of Natasha Helfer or the Natasha Helfer Podcast. We provide a platform for open and diverse discussions, and it is important to recognize that different perspectives may be shared. We encourage our listeners to engage in critical thinking and form their own opinions. The intro and outro music for these episodes is by Otter Creek. Thank you for listening. And remember: Symmetry is now offering Ketamine services. To find out more, go to symcounseling.com/ketamine-services. There are also several upcoming workshops. Visit natashahelfer.com or symcounseling.com to find out more.
Mary T Daly, Dublin Fingal Council, discusses the measures they are taking in the area to cope with the status Orange rain warning. Eamonn Hore, Wexford County Council, outlines their plans for the severe rain and wind expected.
A witness in the inquest into 13 deaths linked to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke's Bay has warned the coroner that more people will be harmed unless local councils set trigger levels for rivers, so everyone knows when an evacuation is needed. The second phase of the coronial inquiry ends today in the Hastings District Court. For three weeks Coroner Erin Woolley has been looking at why hundreds of people's lives were put at risk during the 2023 weather event when they weren't evacuated in time. Hawke's Bay Tairawhiti reporter Alexa Cook has been covering the inquest.
PJ hears that people in Midleton and other flood-prone areas do not get flood information given to council officials, talks to more people about plans for an incinerator, gets his brain hacked by Keith Barry. And more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this powerful Super Full Moon in Taurus transmission, Therese channels the Golden Circle Council of Sirius and the Arcturian Council of Light, who guide us through the process of returning to the Master Timeline of Ascension.The Councils explain that many of us have been living in a kind of pocket dimension — a temporary space for healing, recalibration, and remembering our true frequency. This Full Moon invites us to step fully back into the Master Timeline, where our lives unfold in alignment with our highest expression.We explore the difference between pain and suffering, and how suffering dissolves when we stop dragging the past forward. The Councils remind us that our current expansion is not about escaping the human experience, but about experiencing it without distortion.This channeled meditation offers a profound softening and a return to trust.
The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) gathered policymakers, researchers, and multicultural community leaders in Melbourne for the 2025 National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference. - Nagsama-sama sa Melbourne ang mga policymaker, researcher, at lider ng multicultural communities para sa 2025 National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference ng Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA).
In this episode of Fatima Today, Barb Ernster and Katie Moran reflect on the Church's teaching about Purgatory—its roots in Scripture and its affirmation by the Councils of Florence (1439) and Trent (1563). They discuss how praying for the souls in Purgatory is a profound act of mercy, what brings them the greatest help, how they in turn intercede for us, and the role of indulgences in aiding their purification. As November invites us to remember the faithful departed, this conversation renews our hope in God's mercy and the communion of saints.
In February 2021, Prince Andrew's birthday still carried faint traces of royal recognition, though the tone was already subdued. The bells at Westminster Abbey were initially scheduled to ring for him, a tradition usually reserved for senior royals, though public backlash quickly followed given his ongoing exile from royal duties. While his family reportedly marked the day privately, the UK government had already stopped requiring official buildings to fly the Union Flag in his honour — a quiet but telling sign of his fading royal stature. Even with some ceremonial remnants, the mood around his 61st birthday was one of awkward restraint rather than celebration.By February 2022, the contrast could not have been sharper. Amid mounting public anger and the fallout from his legal settlement with Virginia Giuffre, his 62nd birthday passed with no royal fanfare, no public tributes, and certainly no bells ringing. Councils and institutions across Britain declined to fly the flag, and even within the royal household, his day was reportedly marked in muted isolation. Once a senior member of the monarchy celebrated with pomp and protocol, Andrew had become a symbol of disgrace, spending his birthday largely out of sight — a living reminder of how far a prince can fall when reputation collapses faster than privilege can shield it.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
AI is forcing engineering leaders to become part-CFO, part-governance expert, and part-business strategist. Are you ready for the shift? We're joined by Lake Dai, a globally recognized AI expert, professor at Carnegie Mellon, and founder of Sancus Ventures, to explore the new operating strategies required in an AI-first era. She explains why AI has evolved from a simple tool to a core business metric that leaders are held accountable for on earnings calls. This new reality introduces massive new compute costs—sometimes 30-50% of OpEx—forcing leaders to adopt the financial foresight of a CFO to forecast and justify spending.Beyond the balance sheet, Lake identifies AI governance as the biggest blind spot for most leaders today, outlining the urgent need for an AI handbook to manage unit, system, and ethical risks. This strategic shift also reshapes the engineering org itself, from managing hybrid teams of humans and agents to the need for new training environments, almost like "AI flight simulators." This episode is an essential briefing on these new complexities, all centered on Lake's most urgent advice: in a world moving this fast, the best strategy is to slow down and focus on the fundamentals.LinearB: Your AI productivity journey starts hereFollow the hosts:Follow AndrewFollow BenFollow DanFollow today's guest(s):Connect with Lake on LinkedInSubscribe to Lake's Substack: LakeD-AI UnbundledLearn more about: Sancus VenturesReferenced in today's show:I didn't believe it until I saw it: but it *really* works in open offices! And you cannot even hear devs "whispering."Councils of agentsIf you don't tinker, you don't have tasteI invited strangers to message me through a receipt printerSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever
A round-up of the main headlines in Sweden on October 31st 2025. You can hear more reports on our homepage www.radiosweden.se, or in the app Sveriges Radio. Presenter/Producer: Kris Boswell.
In this episode of the Chamber Chat Podcast, host Brandon Burton speaks with Janet Tressler-Davis, President and CEO of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. They discuss Janet's extensive experience in chamber leadership, the growth and scope of the Westerville Chamber, and the importance of business advocacy councils. Janet shares insights on how these councils serve as a voice for local businesses, the value they bring to the community, and best practices for engaging members in advocacy efforts. The conversation also touches on the future of chambers, emphasizing collaboration and partnerships with other organizations. Transcript and show notes found at chamberchatpodcast.com/episode353. Please support this podcast by supporting our sponsors. Community Matters, Inc. chamberchatpodcast.com/podcast App My Community appmycommunity.com/chamberchat Resource Development Group rdgfundraising.com Econ Dev Ops econdevops.com Swypit chamberchatpodcast.com/cc